BEWARE: SOME SPOILERS AHEAD!
Half-Life: Alyx was produced by Valve and is the sequel to the original Half-Life and a prequel to Half-Life 2. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world, which is overrun by aliens and corrupted by the Civil Protectors, also known as the Combine. But before playing Half-Life: Alyx, I strongly suggest that you play the first and second games. The Half-Life series has always been known for its story and gameplay.
Half-Life: Alyx was huge news for the gaming community, because it has been over a decade since the release of Half-Life 2, which ended on a huge cliffhanger. Over the years, there have been many theories about a Half-Life 3 release, but there was never a single word spoken from Valve.
This latest game also has physics, so the experience is much more immersive. It begins with you standing on a balcony looking at a beautiful, yet horrific, view of the city.
Valve made the environments truly stunning. They are infested and disgusting, and everywhere feels like people actually live there. Corpses are everywhere and people will hide from you, and this all adds so much to the environment.
The level design is genius. Everywhere you explore is just so immersive and the graphics are beautiful; it will sometimes leave you in awe.
Almost everywhere you go has a puzzle included in it. For example, you have a tool to solve puzzles that are inside of the walls to activate or deactivate objects. Some puzzles make you think outside the box or leave you in suspense. Every place in the game always has a meaning behind it.
There is a tool in the game that you need every second. The gravity gloves let you grab stuff from afar and bring it into your hands. This process forces you to aim your hand at an object and do a little flick of the wrist, which is very satisfying. You can also do cool tricks, like pull a gas can and shoot it in mid-air, to instantly kill an alien.
Valve brought back enemies from Half-Life 2, but now they are much more difficult to deal with, because you are playing the game in VR. There is a big boss where you are hiding behind walls, while also fighting the Carbine soldiers. These hectic moments can leave you stuck at some moments.
There are firearms in the game but you only have access to handguns. However, there are many handguns to be found throughout the game. While exploring, you may find resin which can upgrade your handgun in a variety of ways. The aliens in the game can be killed by shooting them in the body or in the head, but if you shoot the body, the Headcrab will fall off and try to jump on your face.
Another fun thing that can happen is when fighting a couple of aliens. You may run out of ammo on one of your handguns. You then switch to the other gun, but it isn’t loaded yet, so you have to reach behind your back to get ammo while watching the alien get closer. With the one shell you have left, you finally kill your opponent. It can get very intense, especially with a very explosive level, like the one where you are traveling to the Vault while pursued by a zombie.
Overall, Half-Life: Alyx is one of the best games of all time, and it deserves every right to be on the top of anyone’s list. The Half-Life series has always had amazing stories, but this is at a level above the previous games. Each of the Half Life games will always be a must play, but this game shouldn’t be missed!
